Saturday, November 19, 2005

Tell me a little bit about yourself, about your life? Where did you go to school, and what classes did you study? What helped prepare you to become the artist that you are today?

I took drawing classes in my childhood (it was a lot bored for a child who just wanted draw superheroes). Fortunately, through the years I was knowing people from the comic and animation world; who were teaching me how "to take a look" about shape, color, how to tell a story, etc. At the same time I studied drawing an painting with a great artist form Argentina (Hermenegildo Sabat).

How do you go about designing a character, and what goes through your mind, from start to end?

In general, I was lucky to work with great writers. Someone of them; I could name Carlos Trillo (who I know from long time ago). Simply we meet to dinner and chat and suddenly he tells me one of that incredible stories he imagines, and my brain starts to fill with images and situations and...I only have to draw them!Something similar happens with Mark Ricketts (I did Lazarus Jack for Dark Horse with Mark) and also with Robbie Morrison (I'm working with him in Wildcats-Nemesis for Wildstorm).They make me think of the characters as if they were "actors". They give me keys to know how the characters move, how they watch, the behaviors they would have, the situations in they would been. With all that stuff it's much more simple to seat, grab the pencil and to say... "look, this is it!"

What do you think really helps you out in designing a character?

Technic helps in this cases. There are editors who ask you for certain kind of drawings: more funny, more classic, brilliant colours, dark colours...

What are some of the things that you have worked on?I was lucky to have did a bit of everything: Comics for childs, for adults; some backgrounds to cartoons, illustrations, etc, etc.

Is there a character design you have done that you are most proud of?

They are all my "sons". If I were, I wouldn't say.

What are you working on now? (If you can tell us)

With a script of Robbie Morrison, a part of Wildcats-Nemesis for Wildstorm.With a script of Carlos Trillo, a three-books story for Albin Michel called “Angustias”.

Where is the place you would like to work if you had a choice?

It would sound demagogic, but I'm happy working in that projects.

Who do you think are the top character designers out there?

Disney and Chuck Jones keep being the best to me.

How do you go about coloring the character, what type of tools or media do you use?

It depends to the editor. Photoshop or handed color.

What part of designing a character is most fun and easy, and what is most hard?

It has to do with I said previously. Maybe to get the character's "core" is the hardest.When you have reached this, the drawing shows up slowly.

What are some of your favorite character designs and least favorite, which you have seen?

The ultimate that has amazing to me (and that are very different than I do) is “Samurai Jack“ and "The fairly old parents" (“Los padrinos mágicos” in Argentina) in cartoons world.In the comic world: “Monster Allergy” and “Blacksad”.The Japanese designs are boring me a bit.

What is your most favorite subject to draw? And why?

I enjoy a lot drawing things to children. Perhaps because I started my professional work with this.

What inspired you to become a Character Designer?

Disney. More exactly "The Sword in the Stone" and "The sleeping beauty"

What are some of the neat things you have learned from other artists that you have worked with or seen?

The quality of the Carlos Meglia's drawings and colouring. I was lucky to work some years with Carlos .

What wisdom could you give us, about being a character designer? Do you have any tips you could give?

An artist who I admire a lot: Oswald. He wrote in a little draw that he dedicated me: "I hope your will doesn't fall. That is the success key".I think he was right.

If people would like to contact you, how would you like to be contacted?